Athens schoolchildren spray graffiti on four of the capital’s blue buses yesterday, in an event organized by the ministries of Transport and Education. This was part of a government drive to persuade city-dwellers to use public transport, as part of the September 16-22 European Mobility Week.

Environmentalists attacked the government yesterday for not taking any action to ban cars from city centers on Wednesday, as part of European Mobility Week, but the government said it was up to citizens to exercise self-restraint.

European Mobility Week began on September 16 and ends on Wednesday with the “In Town Without My Car” campaign which encourages drivers to leave their vehicles at home. Although the government has banned cars from city centers on previous occasions because of the campaign, this year it has chosen not to.

“A new way of life which improves the quality of life and does not place a burden on the environment can only be a result of a conscious decision by citizens and not by temporary coercion on behalf of the state,” said an Environment Ministry statement yesterday.

The Greek Green Party condemned the government’s stand, saying it was a disgrace that 993 cities in 31 countries were taking part in the campaign but none in Greece.